Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas admits he was going through the motions at Arsenal in his final season.

Fabregas admitted he had lost his motivation in the final season at the Emirates Stadium as Arsenal struggled and he believed his captaincy was failing to inspire his team-mates.

"It looked like there was no real passion in the team to play," he said. "I've always tried my best to make the team go forward and I could see nothing I was saying was really working.

"I was going into training not feeling the same motivation as when I was 16 years old, and I felt a little bit stuck. I think everyone in life has a time when they need to start again."

But even so, Fabregas admitted it was a huge wrench to leave Arsenal.

"It was very hard, the hardest decision I have ever made, even if it was my dream to play for Barcelona," he said.

"I'm not embarrassed to say the day I left all I could say (to Arsene Wenger) was thank you very much. I couldn't talk more. I'm not embarrassed to say I nearly cried. It was very emotional."